NASA has a devastating look at the drought being experienced this year in parts of America. It is rated at the worst level that NASA tracks. Be sure to check out the images and maps- they are frightening. If this isn’t a repeat of the Dust Bowl experienced during the Depression in the 1930s I don’t know what is.

I did a little research to see if the phenomenon of deadly tornadoes during the winter months is normal or related to warming. There are differing opinions but the consensus is that tornado season can start in January in the Southern states and extremely dangerous tornadoes are not uncommon during winter months. Dot Earth has more info and stats on the frequency of dangerous storms that show little definable connection between warming and these weather phenomena.

Here in Rochester (NY) the winter pattern is much different than in the past and it is definitely a warming pattern. However this has not resulted in better weather- it has been different weather. We’ve had a lot of big fluctuations in temperatures. Tuesday it was 55 degrees F, this Sunday we will be lucky to see 10 degrees. Last week in a ten minute period the temps dropped 35 degrees.

The effects of these swings are extreme: very high winds (70 mph gusts during that rapid drop), heavy ice storm-style icing which we seldom saw before the end of March and heavy, wet lake affect snows. Most of us would much rather have a 25 degree dry humidity powder snow day anytime over 35 degree damp slush weather which has been the story most of this winter.

Brad Pitt enlisted a bunch of architects to design houses for the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans. They were to be green, 1200′ sq. ft. and buildable for $150,000.
A lot of interesting designs that wouldn’t be bad around here (Rochester).

I could live in those.

A huge storm in the North Atlantic brought storm surges as high as 20 feet yesterday to Europe and the UK. Barriers on the Thames were closed to protect London. This is the biggest surge since 1953. Fortunately no one was hurt and damage was minimal.

The issue here is that climate change doesn’t simply mean higher ocean levels. Even a slight rise in levels, combined with more violent weather due to warming, will mean more and more of these storms in regions where they have been very rare in the past. Because there was no historical record of major storm surges, these coastal areas are highly developed and support dense populations. The potential for future destruction is much higher because of this.

This is a classic environmental feedback loop. Warming generates storms, higher ocean levels mean higher surges. Interestingly, the same storm caused unstable snowpack conditions in Switzerland, creating dangerous avalanche conditions.